IT HAS BEEN confirmed that Jose Aldo is still on track to defend his world title against Conor McGregor on 11 July.
The reigning UFC featherweight champion is due to face the Irishman in the main event at UFC 189 in Las Vegas in 16 days’ time.
Reports emerged from Brazil on Tuesday which claimed that Aldo had suffered a fractured rib during a sparring session.
However, the Ultimate Fighting Championship moved to allay the worst fears of fans overnight by confirming that the injury isn’t as serious as was initially suspected.
The organisation also revealed that if Aldo does eventually opt to withdraw, McGregor will take on top contender Chad Mendes for an interim title instead.
Mendes would represent a much different challenge for McGregor. Although he’s been beaten twice by Aldo, the 30-year-old American is an elite wrestler with the potential to ask serious questions of McGregor’s often-criticised ground-game.
A statement from the UFC said: “In light of recent reports regarding the status of UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, UFC has received official medical confirmation from several doctors that Aldo did not suffer a broken rib.
“Following a review of the scans, it has been determined that the champion suffered a bone bruise to his rib and cartilage injury during training. With this news, Aldo has expressed that he has every intention of facing Conor McGregor at UFC 189.
“While Aldo has indicated that he will compete in Las Vegas on July 11, UFC has confirmed a contingency plan. No. 1 featherweight contender Chad Mendes will face McGregor for the interim UFC featherweight championship in the event Aldo cannot compete.
“UFC remains committed to delivering the featherweight and the welterweight championship fights at UFC 189 during UFC International Fight Week in Las Vegas.”
Reacting to the news that his bout against Aldo is still set to go ahead, McGregor took to Twitter to deliver a typically McGregor response.
It’s a positive development for the thousands of Irish fans planning to travel to Las Vegas for the fight. Even if Jose Aldo does decide to pull out, Conor McGregor has a UFC title bout to look forward to on 11 July nevertheless.
I was thinking the same yesterday. Can you imagine a player like Aidan O’Shea was left on the bench for a whole game. There would be a mutiny the day after their championship campaign ended.
@Ned Flanders: cheap shot. O’Shea showed he is the ultimate team player by switching to a totally new position over the last 2 games to help the team get over the line. I guess haters are always gonna hate though
@Pepper Brooks: ultimate team player? That particular tactic nearly blew up in mayos face. In the replay he was soloing around his 21 half way through second half and trying 40 yard outside of boot passes that ran out over the line. If kerry hadnt panicked and had taken points earlier rather than going for goals when 7 down it could have been a very different
@Pepper Brooks: O’Shea wouldn’t make the Dublin bench.
Juniors maybe
@johnnyA the game is also about opinions,for you it’s bitter and twisted against Dublin,while us Dublin fan’s are enjoying every minute of this great Team,so happy days for us Ha Ha ha
@alan dodrill: *fans
It’s a great achievement to show humility when you’re strolling through the championship. Fair play to the Dublin/AIG players for being such good winners. If Gavin exerts such control he must endorse or at least turn a blind eye to the playacting. Cooper at it again yesterday. McCarthy and McCaffrey at it the last day – good footballers but while their fans have brought the worst aspects of UK terrace culture to Gaelic Games the players have brought Neymar type playacting into our national sport. Great lads all the same.
@Johnny A: Why not just enjoy the football instead of always having a bitch , life is too short
@Tony Talbot: the football championship used to mean something. Now it’s completely hollow. Very few meaningful contests – certainly none when Dublin/AIG are involved. Instead of mitigating their natural advantages – population, money, home advantage – the GAA have bolstered these and set them in stone. Teams like Tyrone and Monaghan now come up to Croker with ridiculous defensive systems just to keep the score down. The GAA have to look at the population and reconsider a split – for example Dublin North/AIG & Dublin South/HSBC. There should be an equalisation process with the corporate loot – they should be allowed keep 20-30% with the rest being redistributed. And they should be kept out of Croker a lot more – why not make them play an away semi final for example. I’ll enjoy it then.
@Johnny A: have to hand it to you mate you have bitterness to a new level. Short memories like most non dubs. This golden era has more to do wirh jim gavin than anything else.Maybe he should only be allowed manage smaller counties?
@Johnny A: explain 1995 – 2011??
If you split Dublin now you’d risk an all Dublin All Ireland final and that would be worse! Did you see the bench. Dublin A Vs Dublin B would be some game!
Other counties need to stop making excuses… Kerry has the same population as Wicklow as is the most successful football county by far
Also, let’s split Kilkenny into North & South and actually while we’re at what about the most successful football county, Kerry…well over due a split!!
@Brendan Farrell: if you think a 2 way split isn’t enough and they’d still be too strong then a 4 way split would be ideal. Could be 4 Dublin zones – AIG1, AIG2, AIG3, AIG4. Have their own provincial championship. The metropolitan cup or something like that.
@paddy: I wouldn’t call it bitterness – more like constructive hate.